[A survey on the current situation of serum vitamin A and vitamin D levels among children aged 2-<7 years of 20 cities in China]

Objective: To investigate serum vitamin A and vitamin D status in children aged 2-<7 years in 20 cities in China. Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted. A total of 2 924 healthy children aged 2-<7 years were recruited from September 2018 to September 2019 from 20 cities in China, categorized by age groups of 2-<3 years, 3-<5 years, and 5-<7 years. The demographic and economic characteristics and health-related information of the enrolled children were investigated. Body weight and height were measured by professional staff members. The serum vitamin A and vitamin D levels were detected by high-performance liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry. Chi-square test and Logistic regression were applied to analyze the association between vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency as well as their underlying impact factors. Results: The age of the 2 924 enrolled children was 4.33 (3.42, 5.17) years. There were 1 726 males (59.03%) and 1 198 females (40.97%). The prevalences of vitamin A and vitamin D deficiency in enrolled children were 2.19% (64/2 924) and 3.52% (103/2 924), respectively, and the insufficiency rates were 29.27% (856/2 924) and 22.20% (649/2 924), respectively. Children with both vitamin A and vitamin D deficiencies or insufficiencies were found in 10.50% (307/2 924) of cases. Both vitamin A (χ2=7.91 and 8.06, both P=0.005) and vitamin D (χ2=71.35 and 115.10, both P<0.001) insufficiency rates were higher in children aged 3-<5 and 5-<7 years than those in children aged 2-<3 years. Vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation in the last 3 months was a protective factor for vitamin A and D deficiency and insufficiency, respectively (OR=0.68 and 0.22, 95%CI 0.49-0.95 and 0.13-0.40, both P<0.05). The rates of vitamin A and D insufficiency was higher in children with annual household incomes <60 000 RMB than in those with annual household incomes ≥60 000 RMB (χ2=34.11 and 10.43, both P<0.01). Northwest and Southwest had the highest rates of vitamin A and vitamin D insufficiency in children aged 2-<7 yeas, respectively (χ2=93.22 and 202.54, both P<0.001). Conclusions: Among 20 cities in China, children aged 2-<7 years experience high rates of vitamin A and vitamin D insufficiency, which are affected by age, family economic level, vitamin A and vitamin D supplementation, and regional economic level. The current results suggest that high level of attention should be paid to vitamin A and vitamin D nutritional status of preschool children.

Programmable Dna Hydrogel Assisting Microcrystal Formulations for Sustained Locoregional Drug Delivery in Surgical Residual Tumor Lesions And Lymph Node Metastasis

Surgical residual tumor lesions (R1 resection of surgical procedures (e.g., liver cancer infiltrating the diaphragm, surgical residual breast cancer, postoperative residual ovarian cancer) or boundary residual after ablation) and lymph node metastasis that cannot be surgically resected (retroperitoneal lymph nodes) significantly affect postoperative survival of tumor patients. This clinical conundrum poses three challenges for local drug delivery systems: stable and continuous delivery, good biocompatibility, and the ability to package new targeted drugs that can synergizing with other treatments.Here, we report a drug-laden hydrogel generated from pure DNA strands and highly programmable in adjusting its mesh size. Meanwhile, the DNA hydrogel could assist the micro-crystallization of a novel radiosensitizing drugs, ataxia telangiectasia and rad3-related protein (ATR) inhibitor (Elimusertib), further facilitating its long-term release. When applied to the tumor site, the hydrogel system demonstrated significant antitumor activity, minimized systemic toxicity, and had a modulatory effect on the tumor-immune cell interface. Our drug-loaded DNA-hydrogel platform represents a novel modality for adjuvant therapy in patients with surgical residual tumor lesions and lymph node metastasis. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

[Multiple linear regression models with natural logarithmic transformations of variables]

In general, the application conditions of linear regression models could be met after the natural logarithmic transformation of data. From the practical perspective, this paper introduced the linear regression models with natural logarithmic transformation of independent variable, dependent variable, and both independent and dependent variables in detail. The paper illustrated why the equation and coefficients could not be directly explained after the natural logarithmic transformation of data. The percentage changes of X and/or Y were applied to elaborate the principle and method for the explanation of the equation and coefficients. Three examples were used to fit simple linear models with natural logarithmic transformation of independent, dependent, and both independent and dependent variables and the results of theses models were explained in detail.

[Difference of one year death and stroke recurrence in ischemic stroke patients with anterior and posterior circulation intracranial atherosclerosis]

Objective: To explore the differences of one year death and stroke recurrence between ischemic stroke patients with intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis or occlusion of anterior circulation and those of posterior circulation. Methods: All the patients were from the Chinese Intracranial Atherosclerosis Study (CICAS), between October 2007 and June 2009; patients with extracranial stenosis or occlusion, patients without acute infarction by diffusion weighted image, and patients with intracranial atherosclerosis of both anterior and posterior circulation were excluded.All the enrolled patients were divided into three groups: no significant intracranial atherosclerosis group (n=964), anterior circulation intracranial atherosclerosis group (n=440), posterior circulation intracranial atherosclerosis group (n=233). One year outcome was evaluated by any cause of death and stroke recurrence. Results: Of the 1 637 patients, 30 cases were died and 58 cases had stroke recurrence within one year.Compared with : no significant intracranial atherosclerosis group, adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of one-year death for anterior and posterior circulation intracranial atherosclerosis group were 1.349 (0.311-5.851), 4.542 (1.227-16.813), respectively.Adjusted hazard ratio (95% confidence interval) of one year stroke recurrence were 1.663 (0.620-4.460) and 2.464 (0.935-6.493), respectively. Conclusions: Ischemic stroke patients with intracranial atherosclerosis of posterior circulation has higher risk of one year death. One year stroke recurrence risk for patients with intracranial atherosclerosis of anterior and posterior circulation needs to be further evaluated.

[A comparison of clinical characteristics between non-erosive reflux disease and reflux esophagitis]

OBJECTIVE

To summarize the clinical symptoms of patients with non-erosive reflux disease(NERD) and reflux esophagitis(RE), which is helpful to the differential diagnosis.

METHODS

Out-patients who met the criteria of NERD or RE according to the Montreal definition in Gastroenterology Department Wuhan Union Hospital from 2010-2014 were enrolled in our study. Clinical data were comprehensively collected. Incidence of disease, severity, frequency of esophageal and extraesophageal symptoms, and the rates of overlapping with functional dyspepsia (FD) or irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) were all studied.

RESULTS

Totally 446 subjects were recruited, including 225 patients with NERD and 221 patients with RE. The occurrence rates of esophageal symptoms including heartburn [76.0%(171/225) vs 52.0%(115/221), P<0.01] and acid regurgitation [74.7%(168/225) vs 54.3%(120/221), P<0.05] in NERD group were significantly higher than those in RE patients, with more severe and frequent (P<0.05). Despite the rates of food regurgitation were similar, NERD patients behaved more severely and frequently (P<0.05). Extraesophageal symptoms including throat burning and foreign body sensation in NERD group [40.9%(92/225) vs 27.6%(61/221), 42.2%(95/225) vs 31.7%(70/221), all P<0.05] were also higher than those in RE group, the degree of which was more severe too (P<0.05). RE patients claimed a higher proportion of chronic cough. The incidences of overlapping with IBS in two groups were similar. But there were more patients with FD in NERD group [72.0%(162/225) vs 62.9%(139/221), P<0.05] than in RE group.

CONCLUSIONS

The menifestations and degree of esophageal and extraesophageal symptoms in patients with NERD or RE are different, as well as comorbidities such as FD and IBS. These results suggest that NERD and RE are independent diseases.

Gene transfer of the Bcl-2 gene confers cytoprotection to isolated adult porcine pancreatic islets exposed to xenoreactive antibodies and complement

BACKGROUND

Exposing adult porcine pancreatic islets (PI) to xenoreactive natural antibodies (XNA) induces brisk inflammatory injury that involves activation of the complement system. Gene transfer of Bcl-2 has been shown to protect PI from apoptosis and necrosis in several models. In this study, we investigated the effect of Bcl-2 gene transfer on protection of PI from primate XNA and complement-mediated injury.

METHODS

The PI were isolated from adult female sows. Only islet preparations that exhibited >90% viability and purity were used. Fresh rhesus monkey serum served as the XNA source. Gene transfer of Bcl-2 was achieved with an adenoviral vector (AdBcl-2) at 500 particle forming units (pfu)/cell. The Bcl-2 expression was confirmed by Western blot technique. Untransfected and transfected PI were incubated in 50% fresh complete serum (CS) or heat-inactivated (HI) rhesus serum for 24 hours. The PI viability was analyzed with acridine orange and ethidium bromide staining. Antibody and complement-mediated cytotoxicity were tested by intracellular lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) release. The PI function was assessed in vitro by static incubation studies and in vivo after intraportal transplantation in diabetic severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice.

RESULTS

The AdBcl-2 gene transfer resulted in Bcl-2 gene expression in >90% of PI cells. Following exposure to XNA, <15% of the untransfected cells were viable. Similar results were obtained in PI transfected with a similar recombinant adenovirus encoding the reporter gene E coli beta-galactosidase (AdLacZ), an irrelevant gene. A significant increase in LDH release was observed in control PI after exposure to CS compared with PI that overexpressed Bcl-2 (82.89% +/- 7.78% vs 34.31% +/- 5.4%, P <.005). Higher insulin release was observed in vitro in PI transfected with Bcl-2 compared with untransfected PI or islets transfected with AdLacZ (stimulation index of 0.9 +/- 0.31, 0.9 +/- 0.3 vs 2.67 +/- 0.4, respectively). Only PI treated with AdBcl-2 were able to achieve euglycemia after exposure to XNA and complement after transplantation.

CONCLUSIONS

Transfer of the antiapoptotic and antinecrotic Bcl-2 gene into PI can reduce primate XNA and complement-mediated lysis. Cytoprotection of PI with Bcl-2 has potential to improve survival of PI xenotransplants.

[Morphologic survey of temporomandibular joint an autopsy investigation]

OBJECTIVES

Understanding the functional structure of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) will be advantageous for us to study the relationship between the occlusal movement and its morphology, and it also will be beneficial for operators of arthroscopy to grasp the relationship between the scope of operation and adjacent landmarks.

METHODS

We dissected and measured the TMJ of seven cadavers to study the sizes of condyle and fossa, the oblique angles of their bevel faces and the oblique angles of bevel face of condyle with disc, the distances from midpoint of posterior tragus and cartilage of external auditory canal to the anterior and posterior recess walls.

RESULTS

The parameters of the anatomic relationship between condyle, disc, fossa, superior joint space of TMJ and adjacent landmarks were recorded.

CONCLUSION

(1) Articular disc coordinates condyle and articular fossa, and increases the condyle anterior bevel's slope which makes them more stable; (2) Transverse ridge of condyle contacts with fossa on point and plane which make lateral motion of condyle more agile; (3) It is important parameter for an operator of arthroscopy to control the depth and range of puncture that measured the distances between anterior and posterior recess walls of upper space in TMJ, the distances from anterior and posterior recess walls to midpoint of posterior tragus and cartilage of external auditory canal, and the size of fossa; Morphology of TMJ is changing with age.

[Environmental factors in oral cavity effect on growing of Streptococcus sanguis and Strepococcus mutans-Oxygen of effects]

Oral Streptococcus species belong to facultative aerobes,and are easily inhibited by metabolic products of oxygen.Our study uses continues culture technique through adding oxygen in order to observe growing states of S.sanguis 34 and S.mutans Ingbritt(c) The result is that the resistance to oxygen of S.sanguis 34 is stronger than S.mutans Ingbritt(c).This result is in accordance with the phenomenon that S.sanguis is a pioneer colonizing germ of dental plaque.The lower resistance to oxygen of S.mutans indicates that the growth and cariogenic action of S.mutans are dependent on the internal circumstance of plaque.

[A comparative analysis of biological properties of glucosylrtanterases secreted by Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mutans]

Our study make a comparative analysis of biological properties of glucosyltranterases(GTF) secreted by S.sanguis 34 and S.mutans Ingbritt(c).The results as follows:(1)S.sanguis 34 has more extractions of extracelluar GTF than S.mutans Ingbritt(c) under equal cultured conditions,but S.mutans Inggbritt(c) has more activity of extracelluar GTF than S.sanguis.These differences are identical with the difference of their cariogenicities;(2)GTF of S.sanguis 34 can also synthesize water-soluble glucan,and is a multienzyme complex system as S.mutans. S.sanguis might catalyse sufficient dextran formation to stimulate the primer-dependent activity of the S.mutans GTF enzyme. This might aid the adhesion of this comparatively late colonizer;(3)easier to obstruct high pure GTF of S.sangusi 34 S.mutans.

[Environmental factors in oral cavity effect on growing of Streptococcus sanguis and Streptococcus mutans-effect of Mucin]

Our study use continues culture technique through adding mucin as the limiting element in chemically defined culture,medium in order to observe growing states of S.sanguis 34 and,S.mutants Ingbritt(c).The results as follows:S.sanguis 34 were able to grow as pure culture on mucin;S.mutans was unable to grow as a pure culture on mucin,but attained a significant population size in the presence of S.sanguis.These results indicate a synergetic degradation of mucin by S.sanguis and S.mutans in mixed chemism culture.